RICHARD Money today saluted the 1959/60 Walsall squad that his team will attempt to emulate, as divisional champions, tomorrow.

But as Money admired the goal-happy feat of Bill Moore's side 47 years ago, he did wonder if their approach would work today.

The current Saddlers squad travel to Swindon tomorrow on the threshold of becoming only the second Saddlers team ever to win a championship.

They have arrived at that point principally due to defensive prowess. A club record 21 clean sheets has meant a respectable but unspectacular 65 goals scored has been sufficient.

Moore's men took a different route to the Fourth Division title (the equivalent level).

They kept only nine clean sheets - but scored 102 goals. In 2006/07, Walsall's leading scorers (Martin Butler and Dean Keates), with one game to go, have 12.

In 59/60, three players exceeded 20 - Tony Richards (24) and Roy Faulkner and Colin Taylor (21 apiece) - as Walsall scored at least two goals in 33 of their 46 league games.

A great, freescoring feat - but, reckons Money, a sign of its times.

"It was a totally different game back then," said Money. "If you look at the figures, there were a lot more goals scored. It was a case of 'you have a shot, we have a shot'. Everybody played with two wingers which must have left quite a lot of space on the pitch. It must have been pretty open

"These days it's much harder to break teams down. It's so much more about discipline and closing down. I'm not knocking the feat of the 1959/60 side in the slightest - finishing top of any division is a tremendous achievement. But it was just a different era."

Walsall will finish top if they beat Swindon or match Hartlepool's result at home to Bristol Rovers.

Only Scott Dann is unavailable. Chris Westwood has recovered from a shoulder injury he collected against Wrexham last week while Kevin Harper, ruled out of that match by illness, is okay.

"We will go there and try to take out all the circumstances surrounding the game and just try to win it," Money said. "I'm sure Swindon have had a tense week.

"I can feel for Paul Sturrock because, after the season they have had, not to go up would be a disaster." ..SUPL: